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VA probe finds disarray at benefits office

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - When Veterans Affairs investigators visited the Veterans Benefits Administration's St. Petersburg regional office in March, they found a mess at an office with more than 21,000 pending claims considered backlogged.

The Tampa Tribune is reporting (http://bit.ly/1lrf1Uc ) officials with the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General found records stacked in piles that made it difficult to locate some files.

In response, Veterans Benefits Administration officials said they have since addressed two of three recommended changes and are working on the third.

An Inspector General spokeswoman told the paper the office has 36,622 rating claims pending, of which 21,222 are considered backlog because they are pending more than 125 days.